Help from an Unexpected Corner

Hashem is the One Who comes to our rescue through all the means that He provides in Nature — and sometimes by supernatural means, too. But either way, they are all triggered by the will of the Most High. Hashem is in charge. He’s conducting our affairs with wisdom, and there’s no greater good fortune than what He’s giving to us. We have to study this and be mindful of it at all times. And in proportion to our awareness, so it will turn out.

But listening to me say it isn’t enough. It helps, but you also have to say it to yourself. The more you talk about it to yourself, the more Hashem becomes the King in your life. You walk in the street and think, Hashem Melech — Hashem is King! He’s in complete control. You can say it, too. No harm. Nobody is listening. As you’re walking, you can even shout it. There’s so much noise from the cars and the trucks and the trains, no one will hear you. Shout “Hashem Melech!”

You never tried that once in your life?! I don’t mean just on Rosh Hashanah. I’m talking about during the year, on an ordinary Tuesday afternoon. Always tell yourself — you’re the most important audience — that Hashem is in charge of the whole universe, including you.

So, when you’re walking on Ocean Parkway and nothing jingles in your pocket — you have no money, no job, no wife, nothing — but you walk and say, “I have Hashem. Hashem Melech, Hashem malach, Hashem yimloch l’olam va’ed,” things will start happening to you. Soon the shadchan will call you and say, “I have a nice young lady for you.”

That’s the great principle of Hashem Melech — if you make Him your King, that’s exactly what He’ll turn out to be. If a man puts his trust in Hashem, then suddenly, from the most unexpected source the salvation will come. That’s why you must ask Hashem for everything. Constantly! Not only in Shemoneh Esrei. All day long, you should be asking Him for everything — for the things you need, and also to preserve the things you already have. If you’re married, say, “Hashem, please keep my wife healthy. Give her long life.”

If you’re not married yet, say, “Hashem, please send me a good shidduch.” Ask, ask, and ask. Hashem is the best shadchan. All of a sudden, a shidduch comes to you from behind your back — not from a shadchan. And it’s a good shidduch! From the best Shadchan. It happened to me that way for one of my children. Now, I’m not saying I have bitachon, but at least I talk about it. I speak to you about it, and I hear my own words, so a little bit rubs off on me. I wanted a shidduch for my daughter, but nobody was answering. Nothing was happening. All of a sudden, a shidduch came from an unexpected corner. A beautiful shidduch! A rosh yeshiva called me up himself and offered me one of his best boys.

And so, we’re learning now the secret to the famous subject known as bitachon — the mitzvah of acquiring a confidence that one’s affairs are being properly administered by Hashem. Everyone who hears this immediately thinks that he has it, but we have to realize that it takes a great deal of effort to acquire it. The subject is very big. If you look in the Chovos Halevavos, Sha’ar Habitachon, you see how big it is. But it’s an obligation we cannot evade. Bitachon is one of the great accomplishments that a Jew has to achieve in his lifetime, and the first step is to realize that everything is from Hashem.